Apparatus for preparing combustible mixture



June 26, 1934. J. ERNocH APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE Filed Aug. 51, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l lllln June 26, 1934. J. c zERNocl-l 1,954,620

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE Filed Aug. 31, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 26, 1934. J. ERNocH APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE Filed-Aug. 51, 1932 4 Sheets$heec 3 June 26, 1934.

J. ERNocH APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE Filed Aug. 31, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 26, 1934 APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE Josef fiernoch, Prague-Brevnov, Czechoslovakia Application August 31, 1932, Serial No. 631,115

10 Claims.

My invention relates to an apparatus for preparing a combustible mixture which is equipped with a fixed and a rotary member.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus of this kind. To this end I provide a valve having the passages required for preparing the mixture, and a sparking plug for igniting it, and on this fixed valve I provide a rotary casing which is divided into chambers.

Each chamber of the casing is subdivided into a combustion and a compression space by a suitable partition and the valve has not less than one passage which has a direction other than radial with respect to the valve. The flow of gas in this passage, or passages, effects a reaction which causes rotation of the casing on the valve. In this manner the casing is rotated automatically.

It is another object of my invention to provide means for effecting a substantially continuous discharge of the products of combustion from a nozzle on the apparatus. To this end I arrange the passages in groups which alternately supply combustible mixture to the nozzle.

draw fresh mixture into the apparatus and to compress the mixture,.without extra valves or other means. To this end I provide a passage which is so connected. to the nozzle that suction is exerted on the passage by the products of combustion discharged from the nozzle, and connect this passage to a mixture chamber.

For compressing the mixture, I provide not less than one overflow passage through which the pressure of the expanding products of combustion in one chamber is transmitted to another chamber of the casing which has been supplied with fresh mixture, and compresses the fresh mixture in this other chamber.

My apparatus is particularly suitable as a reaction engine for vehicles and aircraft instead of rockets which have recently been'suggested as driving means for vehicles and the like. It

is superior toi-s'uch means by its reliability and substantially uniform discharge. It is also superior to the normal reciprocating internal combustion engines on account of its simplicity and low weight.

The fixed valve, as mentioned, contains not less than one passage which conducts the products of combustion from the combustion spaces of the chambers in the rotary casing into one or more discharge nozzles which are supplied from all combustion spaces. This passageis ar ranged at an angle to the corresponding radius It is still another object of my invention to Germany September 4, 1931 of the fixed valve and opens into the combustion spaces of the chambers at this angle. The reaction of the products of combustion flowing in this passage, or passages, causes rotation of the casing by the reaction of the gas flowing 60 in the passage. The passages in the valve and the inlet and discharge openings of the combustion spaces in the casing are so arranged and dimensioned that the products of combustion which leave the nozzle, have a substantially uniform momentum. This is efiected by providin in. addition to a principal passage, one or more subsidiary passages for discharging in sequence the products of combustion under high, medium and low pressure. The products under higher (0 pressure exert suction on the products under lower pressure.

In the drawings ailixed to this specification and forming part thereof an apparatus embodying my invention, with a fixed valve and a rotary casing, is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

In the drawings Fig.1 is an axial section, and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the casing, partly in section on the lines II-II and II'-II', of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an axial section, and

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views of the valve, viewed from below and from above, respectively,

Fig. 6 is an axial section of the valve on the line VIVI in Fig; '7, at right angles to the section in Fig. 3,

Figs. '7 and 8 are sections on the corresponding lines in Fig. 6, the section VII-VII being viewed from'below,

Fig. 9 is an axial section of the complete apparatus on the line IXIX in Fig. 10, with the central portion of the valve broken away, and

Fig. 10 is a plan view of Fig. 9.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figs. 9 and 10, 21 is the tapered valve which is shown partly broken away in Fig. 9. The casing 1 is mounted to rotate on the valve with a tapered seat 4. The tapered seat 4 has a port 13 in-its upper and a port 14 in its lower portion for each chamber of the casing 1 which will be described below. 31 is a tubular extension at the lower end of the valve 21 on which the casing 1 is supported by a ball or other bearing 18. 2 is the chest which is secured on the upper end of the valve 21, a flange 37 being provided on the valve and a flange 3 on the chest, with bolts 38 for connecting the two flanges. The chest is equipped with the discharge nozzle 35 for the products of combustion.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, which show the casing 1 separately, 10 are chambers in the casing which are connected to the ports 13 and 14 in the tapered valve seat 4 of the casing 1. Eight chambers 10 are provided in the example illustrated, and each chamber is subdivided into a combustion space 10 and a compression space 10" by a hollow partition 11. The ports 13 communicatewith the combustion spaces 10', and the ports 14 communicate with the compression spaces 10" of the respective chambers 10. 12 is a comparatively narrow clearance by which the combustion and compression spaces of each chamber are connected across the partition 11. 15 is an inwardly projecting flange at the bottom of the casing, with an opening 16, and 17 is a seat for the ball bearing 18 below the flange 15. 20 are radiator fins on the casing 1.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 8, the valve 21 in its upper portion has a fllat axially arranged passage 22, as best seen in Figs. 3,5 and 6. The passage 22 which is the primary passage referred to. opens into the chest 2 at its upper, and into a transverse ignition passage 23 at its lower end. The ends of the ignition passage 23 are at the level of the ports 13 in the valve seat 4, whose position is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. 24 are two oppositely directed reaction passages, also in the upper portion of the valve. The reaction passages, as best seen in Fig. 7, are inclined to the corresponding radius of the valve and their walls correspond to the vanes of a turbine. The non-radial arrangement of the reaction passages 24 produces a component which, when one of the chambers 10 exhausts into a reaction passage, causes the casing to rotate. The direction in which the products of combustion flow from the chambers, is not exactly tangential but intermediate between radial and tangential. The reaction passages 24 open into the outer face of the valve 21 at the level of the ports 13 in the valve seat 4, Fig. 3, and their inner ends are connected to subsidiary passages 25 which extend in parallel to the axis of the valve and are arranged at opposite sides of, and in line with, the axial passage 22. 34 are two bent suction passages in the upper portion of the valve 21 which connect the chest 2 to diametrally opposite openings at the level of the ports 13, Fig. 6. 47 are starting passages, also bent, each of which is arranged at the side of one of the reaction passages 24, with its upper end connected to the chest 2. The starting passages 47 also open at diametrally opposite points at the level of the ports 13, and their lower portions extend in parallel to the corresponding passage 24, as best seen in Fig. 7, so that the impact of the starting fluid in the passages 47 causes rotation of the casing 1, similarly to the action of the How in the reaction passages 24. The only diiference is that the air from the starting passages flows in opposite direction to that of the products of combustion from the chambers 10. The rotation of the casing 1 under the influence of the air issuing from the starting passages 47 is not due to reaction but to the impinging of the air on the walls of the chambers 10 in a direction which, like that of the reaction passages 24, is neither radial nor tangential.

In the lower portion of the valve, an ejection passage 26 is provided which extends at right angles to the ignition passage 23, with its ends positioned at diametrally opposite points in line with the ports 14, Fig. 6. 28 are two curved overflow passages whose openings are arranged at the level of the openings of the ejection passage 26, as

best seen in Fig. 4. One opening of each overflow passage is just below the corresponding opening of the ignition passage 23 and its other opening is intermediate that of the ignition passage 23 and the opening of the ejection passage 26.

27 is a riser which extends from the ejection passage 26 to the upper end of the valve, as best seen in Fig. 6.

29 is a sparking plug which is inserted in the tubular extension 31 of the valve. The sparking plug extends through an annular partition in the ejection passage 26, Fig. 3, and its electrodes are just above the bottom of the ignition passage 23.

30 is a wire or cable through which current is supplied to the sparking plug 29.

The lower end of the tubular extension 31 is threaded at 32 and nuts 19 are placed on the threaded portion for holding the valve, the ball bearing 18, and the casing assembled, Fig. 9. 33 is a bore in the wall of the tubular extension 31, Fig. 6, which supplies lubricant to the ball bearing 18 and to the valve seat 4. In addition to the lubrication effected by the lubricant from bore 33, lubricant for the valve seat 4 may be supplied with the fuel.

It is not necessary that the valve and the seat 4 should be tapered as shown, but tapered members are preferred because they make up for temperature expansion while maintaining the tight fit of the members. The valve is entirely relieved of frictional resistance which is transmitted to the ball bearing 18.

The nozzle 35 which extends from the chest 2, Fig. 9, is triangular at its lower end, Fig. 10, and at this end is connected to the openings of the primary passage 22, the secondary passages 25 and the riser 27. The upper end 39 of the nozzle 35 is elongated into substantially rectangular shape, Fig. 10. 40 are two diametrally opposite mixture chambers in the chest 2 which are connected to the suction passages 34 in the valve. The mixture chambers 40 are supplied with air for combustion through bores 42 in their sides, and with fuel through passages 41 in their upper end walls.

A circulation of cooling liquid is eflfected in the cavities of the valve 21 and the chest 2 by means of two passages 43.

The starting passages 47 are supplied with starting air through pipes 45 one of which is visible in Fig. 9, and check valves 46 with valve springs 36. Starting air may be taken from any suitable source, for instance, from a. steel flask.

When it is desired to start the engine, starting air is admitted to the starting passages 47 through the check valves 46 in the manner described. The casing now begins to rotate and the supply of starting air is cut off when the casing has been speeded up so that the normal cycle of operations can be performed. In Fig. 7, one of the chambers I 10 has been marked F and its cycle will now be described.

At station 10a, the port 13 of the combustion space 10 in the chamber F registers with the suction passage 34 at the left, and the port 14 of its compression space 10 which, as described, is just below, and in line with the port 13, registers with the ejection passage 26, as shown in Fig. 8. The chamber which is at we at the time, i. e. diametrically opposite the chamber F, has the same connections to the suction passage 34 at the right and to the opposite end of the ejection passage 26. In this manner, a communication is established between the suction passages 34 through the compression spaces 10" of the chambers at 1011 and 10e, and the ejection passage 26. The casing 1 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Figs. 7 and 8. When the chamber F with its charge of combustible mixture, arrives at station 10b the port 14 of its compression space 10" registers with the overflow passage 28 at the left. The port 13 is closed by the unbroken wall of the valve 4. Through the outflow passage 28, the chamber F when at 10b communicates with the compression chamber 10" of the third chamber from 10a at 100 through the ports 14 of both chambers and the overflow passage 28. Station 100 and the diametrically opposite station 10g, are the stations where the mixture in the chambers is ignited by plug 29-and a portion of the products of combustion is tapped to the next preceding chamber at 101) through the overflow passage 28 for compressing the mixture in this chamber, as will now be described. Direct communication from the combustion space 10' of the chamber at 10c backwards to the chamber at 10b is interrupted by the wall of the valve 4, Fig. 7, but

their compression spaces 10" are connected by the overflow passage 28 through their ports 14, Fig. 8. The mixture in the chamber at 1012 is compressed, and if the temperature of the tapped products is elevated to a sufiicient degree, preignited by the tapped products of combustion, the compression and combustion chambers 10' and 10" communicating through clearance 12. As the casing 1 rotates at very high velocity, preignition is preferable as otherwise the combustion might not be complete.

The ports 13, as shown in Fig. 6, extend downwards as far as the ignition passage 23 and at stations 10c and 10g the ports 13 communicate with this passage. The mixture which. as mentioned, may be pre-ignited through overflow passage 28, is now ignited by the sparking plug 29 while the chamber F at 100 is still in communication with the overflow passage 28. The major portion of the products of combustion is discharged through the ignition passage 23, the primary passage 22 and the nozzle 35, but a predetermined percentage of the products is tapped through the overflow passage 28, and the residue is entrapped in the chamber after the communication of its combustion space 10 with the ignition passage 23 through port 13, and the communication of its compression space 10" to the overflow passage 28 through port 14, has been interrupted. At 10d the chamber F with the residue entrapped therein, is connected to the reaction and starting passages 24 and 47 at the right through its port 13, Fig. '7, while its port 14 is closed, Fig. 8. A portion of the residue is discharged through the subsidiary passage 25 to which the reaction passage 24 is connected at its lower end. The upper ends of passages 25 open into the upper face of the fixed valve, as shown in Fig. 3. The chest 2 to which the nozzle 35 is connected, is in communication with the openings of the subsidiary passages 25 so that the products of combustion from 25 are discharged through the nozzle 35. The starting passages 4'7 obviously are not supplied with air after the apparatus has begun to perform its regular operation.

At 10e, the small amount of residue which is still present in the compression space 10", is finally exhausted through port 14, ejection passage 26 and riser 27 whileat the same time fresh mixture from the suction passage 34 at the right is drawn into the combustion space 10 under the suction of the products flowing in the passages 22 and 23 which suction is transferred to the combustion chamber 10' through 2'7, 23 and 10". Another cycle is now started withcompression at station 10 ignition at 10g, exhaust into the reaction passage 24 at the left at station 10h, final exhaust into the ejection passage 26 at 10a, etc. It will appear that the several chambers in which corresponding stages are performed, are diametrically opposite at the respective stations, so that the forces resulting from the several processes are balanced.

The, casing 1 is rotated continuously by the reaction of the products of combustion flowing into the inclined reaction passages 24 from the chambers 10.

It will appear that the valve has a double set of passages so that one-sided pressures are eliminated. Two ignitions occur in each chamber 10 at 10c and 10g per revolution of the casing 1.

The arrangement of the passages etc. in the valve 21, and the free sectional areas of the passages etc. and of the ports 13 and 14 in the valve seat 4 of the casing'l, are so determined that the kinetic energy of the gas issuing from the opening 39 of the nozzle 35 is substantially constant, and this action is favored by the arrangement of the conduits 25 with respect to the axial passage 22. 7

My apparatus, as mentioned, is particularly suitable as a substitute for the rockets which have recently been suggested for driving vehicles and aircraft, on account of its simplicity, reliability, smallness and low weight.

As compared'with a reciprocating internal combusion engine for an airplane, its weight is only about of the weight of the'reciprocating engine.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for preparing combustiblemixture, comprising a valve, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve, means for preparing combustible mixture, means for compressing, igniting and discharging the mixture, and means including a passage in said valve for conducting the products of combustion from said casing to the discharge, which passage has a direction other than radial with respect to said valve; for effectin g' relative rotation of said valve and said casing by the expanding products of combustion.

2. An apparatus for preparing combustible mixture, comprising a fixed valve, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve, means for preparing combustible mixture, means for compressing, igniting and. discharging the mixture, and means including a passage in said valve for conducting the products of combustion from said casing to the discharge, which passage has a direction other than radial with respect to said valve; for efiecting relative rotation of said valve and said casing by the expanding products of combustion.

3. An apparatus for preparing combustible mixture, comprising a valve, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve, means for preparing com- ,-bustible mixture, means for compressing, ignita starting passage extending in parallel relation to said first-mentioned passage, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said starting passage.

4;. An apparatus for preparing combustible mixture, comprising a valve, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve and divided into chambers, each chamber being subdivided into a combustion and an exhaust space, means for preparing combustible mixture, means for compressing, igniting and discharging the mixture, and means for effecting relative rotation of said valve and said casing by the expanding products of combustion.

5. An apparatus for preparing combustile mixture, comprising a valve, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve, and divided into chambers, each chamber being subdivided into a combustion and an exhaust space, a partition intermediate the spaces which defines a clearance for connecting the two spaces, said clearance being remote from the axis of said apparatus, means for preparing combustible mixture, means for compressing, igniting and discharging the mixture, and means for effecting relative rotation of said valve and said casing by the expanding products of combustion.

6. An apparatus for preparing combustible mixture comprising a valve, a nozzle on said valve for discharging the products of combustion, said valve having three passages, for supplying to said nozzle products of combustion under high, medimn and low pressure, the primary and subsidiary passages for supplying the products of combustion under high and medium pressure, respectively, being so arranged that suction is exerted on the products from the third passage, means for drawing fresh combustible mixture into the apparatus under said suction, means for heating the fresh mixture by waste heat from the combustion, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve and having ports adapted to cooperate with the passages in said valve, and means for effecting relative rotation of said valve and said casing by the expanding products of combustion.

7. An apparatus for preparing combustible mixture, comprising a valve, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve and divided into chambers, means for preparing combustible mixture, means for igniting and discharging the mixture, means for tapping the products of combustion from one of said chambers to another chamber, and means for effecting relative rotation of said valve and said casing by the expanding products of combustion.

8. An apparatus for preparing combustible mixture comprising a valve, a nozzle on said valve for discharging the products of combustion, said valve having three passages, for supplying to said nozzle products of combustion under high,

medium and low pressure, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve, means for effecting relative rotation of said valve and said casing by the expanding products of combustion, the casing being divided into chambers, and the passages for supplying the products of combustion under high and medium pressure, respectively, being so arranged that suction is exerted on the products from the third passage, and so that each chamber in said casing is connected in sequence to the high, medium and low pressure passages, during said relative rotation, means for drawing fresh combustible mixture into the apparatus under said suction, means for heating the fresh mixture by waste heat from the combustion, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve and having ports adapted to cooperate with the passages in said valve, and means for effecting relative rotation of said valve and said casing by the expanding products of combustion.

9. An apparatus for preparing combustible mixture, comprising a valve, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve and divided into chambers, each chamber being subdivided into a combustion and an exhaust space, means for preparing combustible mixture, means for compressing the combustible mixture, a sparking plug in said valve for igniting the mixture, said valve having an ignition passage connected to all chambers, means for discharging the mixture, and means for effecting relative rotation of said valve and said casing by the expanding products of combustion.

10. An apparatus for preparing combustible mixture, comprising a valve, a casing mounted to rotate on said valve, a chest on said valve, a nozzle extending from said chest, a mixture chamber in said chest, means for supplying fuel and combustion air to said mixture chamber, said valve having a suction passage connected to said mixture chamber, passages connecting the base of said nozzle in said chest to the combustion space of said apparatus, a starting passage arranged at an angle to the corresponding radius of said valve, means including check valves for supplying fluid under pressure to said starting passage, and means for effecting a circulation of cooling liquid to said valve.

JOSEF CERNOCH. 

